1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multi-joint cable protection and guide device for protecting and guiding flexible cables and hoses. The flexible cable may be an electrical cable or an optical fiber cable. The flexible hose may be a fluid supplying hose. The cables and hoses may be used in working machines, electronic devices, industrial robots, and transportation equipment. The cables and hoses supply electricity, fluid, and air machines or to a mobile section of a machine.
2. Related Art
When the cables are connected to a mobile portion of a working machine such as a construction machine or a machine used for transportation, the cables are twisted or tensioned unnaturally as the mobile portion of the machine moves. The cables and hoses are damaged when they are twisted and tensioned unnaturally. The multi-joint cable protection and guide device is used to protect and guide cables and hoses that would otherwise become damaged if it were not for the supporting member.
There is a known related art multi joint cable protection and guide device, specifically, there is an assembly supporting member in which conduit tubes for transferring conductors and gases are sealed within a plurality of channels. The channels include supporting members composed of continuous material strips which are disposed in parallel. The continuous material strips have a series of non-interlocking motion-limiting solid bodies as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4157096 (Claims Paragraphs [[0031] through [0034], FIG. 21); Patent Family of WO/2004/049509A2, U.S. Pat. No. 6,858,797B2 for example.